Do I need to upgrade Connecting Rods?

[Bludrok]

I appreciate everyone's thoughts and advice. I will stick with my car though. When all is said and done, I am only in to the car for a total of $29k, which includes full paint protection (Clear Bra), tinting all windows including the windshield, and I've already installed the clutch, brakes, and exhaust. The exhaust and brakes are totally different anyhow.

If I were to switch to an SI, based on a very optimistic trade in / resale value, and a purchase price of 25k on the Si, I would be into the car for $42k, which is well over the amount I want to be at.

If I was in the financial position I am now when I bought the car, and now knowing I am doing these upgrades, I may have went with the Si. However, I have peace knowing that once I upgrade the internals, they will be better than the stock Si's.

Sponsored

 

[BoostedDreams]

I appreciate everyone's thoughts and advice. I will stick with my car though. When all is said and done, I am only in to the car for a total of $29k, which includes full paint protection (Clear Bra), tinting all windows including the windshield, and I've already installed the clutch, brakes, and exhaust. The exhaust and brakes are totally different anyhow.

If I were to switch to an SI, based on a very optimistic trade in / resale value, and a purchase price of 25k on the Si, I would be into the car for $42k, which is well over the amount I want to be at.

If I was in the financial position I am now when I bought the car, and now knowing I am doing these upgrades, I may have went with the Si. However, I have peace knowing that once I upgrade the internals, they will be better than the stock Si's.

What are you planning to do about traction? I imagine you’ll be at 350+ whp I hope not with an open diff.

 

[Supercell]

May want to consider finding a salvage Si donor to pull the engine and trans from - would get you everything you need and end up saving you money vs rebuilding the entire bottom end and sourcing the odd part here and there.

 

[Bludrok]

What are you planning to do about traction? I imagine you’ll be at 350+ whp I hope not with an open diff.

http://www.teammfactory.com/catalog/partno/MF-TRS-05FC

 

[BoostedDreams]

http://www.teammfactory.com/catalog/partno/MF-TRS-05FC

I like the way you do work !

 

[andromeda]

When any car throws a rod, it's almost always due to rod bearing failure. Rod failure is a symptom of a rod bearing problem. Focus rightly belongs on the bearings. A stronger rod will only delay the inevitable slightly.

 

[Bludrok]

When any car throws a rod, it's almost always due to rod bearing failure. Rod failure is a symptom of a rod bearing problem. Focus rightly belongs on the bearings. A stronger rod will only delay the inevitable slightly.

The EX-T and Si have the exact same rod bearings. I am not trying to be rude, but was there some point or word of caution you are trying to tell me? People with the Si's have not had rod failure from doing the upgrades I will be doing, and since they are the same, I don't think bearings are a concern.

Don't get me wrong, since I will already have the engine opened, I would gladly replace the rods and rod bearings at the same time, but I cannot find any aftermarket performance options available. I'm open for suggestions though.

 

[andromeda]

No point except to emphasize that rod failures are really rod bearing failures.

 

[D-RobIMW]

No point except to emphasize that rod failures are really rod bearing failures.

Most of the rod failures on the L15's have not been a result of a spun bearing condition; they are fatigued material breakages in the middle of the rod, most even retaining the big end on the crank, still spinning freely.

 

[Sgtstaadanko]

Most of the rod failures on the L15's have not been a result of a spun bearing condition; they are fatigued material breakages in the middle of the rod, most even retaining the big end on the crank, still spinning freely.

No point except to emphasize that rod failures are really rod bearing failures.

Exactly what happened to mine. Didn't throw or break a rod, it literally bent. The engine was running aside from missing compression on that cylinder and the rod tapping the cylinder wall every stroke up or down. The bearing looks brand new.

 

[BoostedDreams]

Exactly what happened to mine. Didn't throw or break a rod, it literally bent. The engine was running aside from missing compression on that cylinder and the rod tapping the cylinder wall every stroke up or down. The bearing looks brand new.

How did you manage that?

 

[Sgtstaadanko]

How did you manage that?

27psi and advanced timing. I did it myself, don't worry it wasn't anyone who knows what they're doing.

 

[BoostedDreams]

27psi and advanced timing. I did it myself, don't worry it wasn't anyone who knows what they're doing.

LOL. I was tampering with the settings once too and then got nervous and payed for a tsp tune

 

[Daelen@MAP]

So just to clear up a few things in the thread to make sure correct info is out there!


All the L15B7 (SI and Non) share the same rod (Part # 13210-5PA-A00)
-These are a very thin, light rod, with small M6 rod bolts. The bearings are actually very nice, and in standard Honda fashion work very well. They do not like high torque low in the RPM range, and will bend/snap when pushed to hard below peak torque. That said, our EFR 6758 car currently makes 408/350(Ish) tq and the motor is holding together just fine. No bearing material in the oil (Blackstone many times) and the rod bearings are not showing wear (We pulled off caps a few times)

-Pistons are different between the SI and Non, but the only difference is compression ratio. SI is 10.3:1 and Non is 10.6:1. we have had both in our hands and there is very near no noticeable difference. Seems like they lowered it down a little to prevent combustion issues with the higher boost levels factory.

-Intake cam, this one I do not have ALL the details on. The cams are different, and the main part is the fuel pump drive is a decent amount smaller, thus not moving as much fuel. I have not had both cams on a cam-doctor or anything like that to get exact measurements. We ran the EX cam and pump on our SI, and it lost fuel much earlier in the RPMs than we were with the SI cam and pump.

Overall these motors are pretty awesome, the power and efficiency we are seeing makes us very happy, and I can not wait to have some more fun with it this summer!

Hopefully that clears a few things up!

 

[KramVT0215]

I've got an SI with all the PRL goodies and GTX2860R I just finished tuning...the car pulls really hard it is awesome lol. I'm only on pump gas 93. On a non SI motor I would def consider rods for a piece of mind I am even going to do it to my SI.

Sponsored